USA > Pennsylvania > The Historical journal : a quarterly record of local history and genealogy devoted principally to Northwestern Pennsylvania > Part 19
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TUESDAY, August 3d .- Started our surveying party and took
* This was what was afterwards known as the famous Petroleum, or " Rock Oil." It was gathered by the Cornplanter Indians as it was found floating on the surface of the water. In after years the great oil field was developed in this region.
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the necessary measures to follow them as soon as possable. Set off about 3 o'clock Down the River but did not overtake the survey- ing party that day.
WEDNESDAY, August 4th .- Set off Down the River and about 9 o'clock passed the camp where the surveying party had slept the night Before, and overtook them in a short time afterwards. Left them and told them that we would encamp so as that they might come to us that night, which they Did accordingly.
THURSDAY, August 5th .- Started the Surveying party Early in the morning, as we were oblidged to Detain a while in order to Bake some Bread. As soon as that was done, we followed and overtook them, and gave them some provisions and then made the Best of our way for the mouth of Toby's Creek .* At 1 o'clock we had a heavy shower; after it was over we proceeded down the River, and came to the mouth of Toby's Creek about 5 o'clock, and Before we had time to pitch our tent we had another heavy shower followed by a Rainy night.
FRIDAY, August 6th .- The morning showery and continued so untill 12 o'clock, when it cleared up a little, but does not yet prom- ise fair weather. Our Survey party not yet come, though it is now passed 4 o'clock. Surveying party came in before night, and after them John Rea and Fred'k Bawmt came to our Camp. It was therefore agreed that Bawm and Rea should be taken in to pay for four days, and that I with one hand in addition should survey the River Down to the Kishcaminitas t while the other commission- ers were employed in Exploring the Toby's Creek.
SATURDAY, August 7th .- Started with my party and surveyed nine miles and a half & took up our quarters.
SUNDAY, August 8th .- Continued our survey 11 miles further down the River.
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MONDAY, August 9th .- The morning rains and seems to threaten
* Now called the Clarion River. It empties into the Allegheny a short distance from the town of Clarion. It was called "Stump Creek" at one time as well as "Toby's."
t Properly Baum.
# The Kishkiminetas River forms the southern boundary of Armstrong County, and empties into the Allegheny one mile north of Freeport. According to Hecke- welder the name is corrupted from Gieschgumanito, signifying, make daylight.
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a Rainy day; the day continned showery but I started and continued the survey of the River. At night we encamped a little below the old Kittaning * town.
TUESDAY, August 10th .- Was obliged to spend the morning in baking. We camped the night Before,a little way above the mouth of Crooked Creek, and in the lower end of the Kittaning Bottom. We continued our survey but were prevented from Reaching the Kishcaminitas by John Rea finding a part of the carrage of a can- nont which he striped of all its Iron; this he found near a small Island above the Kittaning. We encamped half a mile above the Junction of the Kishcaminitas with the Alegina River, and had I known we were so near, I would have come all the way.
[ NOTE .- In the original the above entry is lined out, and for some unaccount- able reason its substance is repeated in the following, thus leaving a hiatus of one day.] ę
WEDNESDAY, August 11th .- We were obliged to bake this morn- ing which lost us some time, and after Dinner we lost 3 hours by John Rea, who found part of the carrage of a field piece and de- layed us untill he took off the Irons, which prevented me from reaching the Kishcaminitas. We came within 200 rods of it, but did not Expect we were so near.
THURSDAY, August 12th .- Came to the junction of the Kishea- minitas with the Ohio river and finished my survey ; found it to be 854 miles from the mouth of French Creek to the Kishcaminitas. Discharged John Rea and Frederick Bawm ; they Proceeded on their way to Pitsburgh and Neal St Clair and I took up our camp on the west side of the Ohio opposite the Kishcaminitas. This day sold John Rea 16 1b Gun Powder, for which he is to send me 8 1b Best Beaver furr.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, August 13th, 14th and 15th .- Waited for Mr Adlum and Colonel Matlack. Did nothing; only Removed my camp about a mile up the Kishcaminitas to the mouth of a small run on the south side of the creek.
*This was an Indian town of some importance at an early date. It was de- stroyed by Colonel John Armstrong, September 8, 1756. It was known among the Indians as Attigue.
+ Probably abandoned during Armstrong's expedition, or by some other mili- tary party-possibly the French.
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MONDAY, August 16th .- Yet no account from Adlum and Mat- lack. The day showry with thunder.
TUESDAY, August 17th .- The morning Lowers a rains a Little, which together with my indisposition keeps me close to my tent. Yet no account from the Commissioners.
WEDNESDAY, August 18th .- Waited untill I'm intirely out of patience and yet not one word from the Commissioners; one whole week now spent but it is in vain to freet. Yesterday, several showers and last night a heavy rain, and it still keeps cloudy and rains a little. After dinner took a walk Down to the mouth of the River, and Saw our people comming down in their canoes. Mr Adlum and Colonel Matlack came on shoar to me at the mouth of the River and we walked up the Beach for my camp, but were overtaken with a middlin heavy shower on our way. We Got to the Camp and agreed to Remain there for that night.
THURSDAY, August 19th .- Got Ready Early in the morning and started up the Kishcaminitas River. Saw two white men on the River in a canoe. Continued to make all the speed we could untill night and then took up our camp on the west side, or rather south- west side of River at the foot of a Rocky hill near the mouth of a small spring.
FRIDAY, August 20th .- Continued our Jorney up the River and arrived at the mouth of Loyalhannon * at one oclock; and as we had had several days of showery weather and continued moistness in the air, our Cloathes of every kind were Damp and Disagreeable, and as the afternoon was a fine one we agreed to let the men rest and Dry their Cloathes, and ours. We had this day been attempt- ing to procure some fresh Provisions on our way up, from the In- habitants along the River, and had been unsucksesful; we therefore sent off two of our men in order to procure .either Butter or meat of any kind. They Returned with(out) Sucksess.
SATURDAY, August 21st .- As all our attempts yesterday to pro- cure provisions had been fruitless, we were obliged to stay this day in order to get a supply of Both flour and meat; we were Luckay enough this morning to get the half of a Veal from one Samuel
* The Lovalhanna Creek runs northwestward through Westmoreland County, and unites with the Conemaugh River at Saltsburg, to form the Kishkiminetas.
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Hoy, who lives a little way below the mouth of Loyalhanning,* and sent off a man and horse to Denison's mill which is eight miles up Loyalhanning creek, in order to procure some flour; the man is not yet returned.
A little after Dark the man sent to mill returned and brought us a small supply of flour and a few pounds of Butter. We have to acknowledge our obligations to Col'o Will'm Perrey, who furnished us with a horse and sent his son to mill for us for the flour. He lives just above the mouth of Loralhanning.
SUNDAY, August 22d .- The morning cloudy but so much time already Elapsed we must make every possable Exertion to get through our Bussness; we proceeded up the River about 10 miles and encamped for the day.
MONDAY, August 23d. - Proceeded up the River; met with great difficulty; on account of the Low water were obliged to drag our canoes over the Ripples and were able to get only about 8 miles. This day Encamped above an old Indian field on the southwest of the River: this field is Remarkable for the Great number of Bones we found in it.
TUESDAY, August 24th .- Pursued our Jorney up the River, and with all the Exerscions we could make it was 1 oclock before we had Got 33 miles, & the men were quite Exausted with the Labour of Dragging the Canoes up the Ripples. We came on shore to Dine and before we had done, a rain came on which induced us to pitch our tents for the night. We employed the afternoon in trying to procure pack horses to carry our Baggage to Franks town and happily Succeeded.
WEDNESDAY, August 25th .- This morning we were Busseyley employed in adjusting the Loads for the horses. As soon as this was done we took our packs on our Backs, and started at 11 oclock and made the Best of our way up the River. We had got but a little way when we were overtaken by a smart shower at a place where we had no shelter of any kind. We proceeded up through the narrows where the River Cuts the Chesnut Ridge: these nar- rows are five miles in Length and the hill(s) come Down close to the water edge. so that we were obliged often to wade the River,
* Opposite the site of the present town of Saltsburg, Indiana County. .
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and had Exceeding Bad walking as there was scarcely any Beech and the Rocks and Laurel come close to high water mark. We had Likewise several heavy shower(s) so that Between the wading the River and the Rain we were wet Indeed. About sunset we came to a house where one David Ingard lives, and took up our Quarters for the Night having Traveled about eight or nine miles.
THURSDAY, August 26th .- We set off early in the morning and proceeded up the River. Had much better walking this day and a fine clear day. We kept close to it, and arrived at the mouth of Stony Creek * a little before sunset, and went up Stoney Creek half a mile to where one Daniel La Vere Lives, who Received us with an oppen Countenance. We this day came through the nar- rows formed by the Laurel Hill and found it in Gineral Good walking; we this day walked 19 or 20 miles.
By appointment our Pack horses were to meet us at the mouth of Stoney Creek, but we found they had been unable to Reach the place; we therfor took up our Quarters with Daniel Le Vere for the night. As we were in a part of the country were none of us had ever Been we were obliged to hire a man and send off for one Clark to conduct us the nearest and best way from the Mouth of Stoney Creek to the mouth of Poplar run on the Frankstown Branch, through the Alegina mountain. We did in the evening after we had taken up our Quarters. As this messenger has to walk 18 miles to where Clark Lives, we can hardly Expect him to Return before the 28.
FRIDAY, August 27th .- Gersham Hicks came to us this morning and informed us that the horses and Baggage were comming; that they had been unable to Reach: the fork Last night, the Road had been so Bad. After some time the horses came but on the way had Lost one of our Tents, for this tent two of our people were sent back who are not yet Returned. In the afternoon they Re- turned but could not find the tent altho they went back as far as the
* Bustling Johnstown, composed of an aggregation of eight municipalities stands here. When the Commissioners landed at the mouth of Stony Creek, ninety-seven years ago, in what was a dense wilderness, they doubtless never thought for a moment that in time immense iron works would be built in this wild canon, and that the roar and rattle of steam engines and passing railroad trains would awake the echoes of the mountain solitudes.
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place they had Lodged the night Before; but they heard that a man and a Boy from the Jerseys had passed along the road between the time that our people returned to seek the tent. and as those people were in want of Cloathes as its said, no dout they played us a Jersey Trick.
SATURDAY, August 28th .- We continued in our camp waiting the Return of young Levoy whom we had sent for Clark. He re- turned after sunset and with him a Daniel Clark, the man who had been Recomended was gon a hunting, and this man was the only person he could get to come who had any knowledge of the country through which we had to pass. This day we spent in Baking Bread and preparing for Crossing the Alegina, mendin Mokossins &c.
SUNDAY, August 29th .- Agreeable to the Resolution of the Last night we prepared this morning to survey the Conemaugh, as Mr D. Clark had refused to conduct us over the Mountains without we would Engage to pay him 10 shillings for every day that we would be from home. This we all agreed was unreasonable as he himself confessed that he was not fully acquainted with the country through which we must pass. We therefor paid for the day he had spent in comming and for another to go home in, 10 shillings, and pre- pared to go up through the narrows, and survey the creek, and sent our Baggage Round by a Better way with order to mett us Monday Night at the forks of Connemaugh; and as it was Expected they would be able to gain the forks much sooner than us, we set out first and proceeded up the creek as far as we could that day. Had bad walking and at night could scarcely find a spot to encamp on, for the Land which came to the waters edge for some miles together. We at length found a spot in the Laurel Large enough for us to lie on and took up our Quarters. Not long after Night rain came on and we were unprovided with any kind of shelter. This not only kept me uneasy for the moment but in pain in con- sequence as I was but verrey imperfectly Recovered from my former attack of the Rhumatisem, brought on in the same manner; and there I was in a country unsettled, without either canoe or horse.
MONDAY, August 30th .- Dryed my Cloathes with all the care I could, and took my Bundle on my Back, and so did my companions
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and we proceeded up the Creek with our survey and Gained the first forks of the Cr By 3 past 1 Oclock; there eat our Dinner and proceeded on untill night and encamped on the upper end of a Rock Bottom about two miles below the forks where the pack horses were to meet us. As we had given orders to the pack horse men in case that we Did not Reach the forks on Monday night that Hicks should be despatched down the Creek on Tuesday morning to meet us with Provisions, as we had taken only two Day(s) Pro- visions, we in order that they might know we were comming fired a Gun Twist after dark, but had no answer.
TUESDAY, August 31st .- After Breakfast we went on with our survey and Reached the forks 3 after 10 oclock but found our peo- ple had not reached the place. We then enquired into the state of our provisions, and found that the whole we then had with us was not more than one scanty meal. We then judged it advisable to make the best speed we could to Frankstown and not wait Longer for the packhorses as we were certain either some mistake or mis- fortune had happened, or they would have been there before us. We accordingly set off at a N. E. course and surveyed 8 miles before Dark, but to our surprise we had not yet reached the State Road. The evening was Cloudy and we encamped by the side of a Laurel Thicket near a Small Branch of the Connemaugh.
WEDNESDAY, September 1st .- The evening before we had divi- ded our Provisions into Equal Shares, and though we had walked the whole day, yet each man's portion when he had it was so small ; and not knowing how far we must travel before we could meet with any supply, none of us ventured to eat any supper. This morning every man cooked his own Chocolate with the utmost care and attention, and in General eat with the Chocolate about one-half of our Bread; and so we set out and in about 13 hours we came to the State Road * about Eight miles N. W. of Blair's mill.
After Traveling about 4 miles on this Road we eat the Remain-
* On the 29th of March, 1787, an act of Assembly was passed appointing com- missioners "to lay out a State highway, between the waters of the Frankstown branch of the Juniata and the river Conemangh." This road, which is the one referred to by Mr. Maclay, is still known as the Frankstown road. It crossed the Allegheny Mountains and reached the Conemaugh at Johnstown. April 10, 1792, the Conemaugh and its branches were declared public highways by act of the Legislature.
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der of our Provisions and Reached Mr Blair's mill a Little after 12 oclock where we were Rece'd with Great kindness by Mr Blair's family, who gave us our dinner, as neither Mr Blair* nor his wife were at home. In the Evening Mrs Blair came home; and to my surprise Soon informed me that she knew something of me and my connections. Upon enquring she is the daughter of a Mr Sims who was a friend and aquaintance of Mr R Plunkettst in Ire- land. and came to this country the same year that Mr. Plunket came to the country; and is a verrey Decent, well Breed woman, and was very ohlidging and attentive to us. In the Evening we sent one of our men over to Patrick Cassidy's with a Note, Re- questing him to come to us in the morning.
*John Blair, Jr., was one of the early settlers in the territory embraced in Blair County, and after him the county was named. His home was some four miles west of Hollidaysburg, on the Huntingdon, Cambria and Indiana turnpike, formerly known as the "Northern Pike." He was in his day a man of mark and foremost in every public enterprise .- A. K. Bell, D. D., in Egle's Hist. Pa., p. 397.
t It is proper in this connection to clear up the history of the Plunkets. Wil- liam Plunket, the first presiding justice of Northumberland County, died in the spring of 1791, at Sunbury, aged about 100 years. He was the father of Mrs. Samuel Maclay, whose lineage is traceable to John Harris. Sr., whose grave is yet to be seen on the bank of the river at Harrisburg, in front of the residence of Gen. Sinon Cameron. John Harris, Sr., died in 1748. His wife, Esther Say, was a lady of rare endowments, who came from England, in the family of Judge Ship- pen. Among their children were John, the proprietor of Harrisburg; Samuel, who settled at the outlet of Cayuga Lake, New York, and a daughter, who mar- ried Dr. William Plunket. The latter, at the time of his marriage, resided at Carlisle, and his daughters, four in number, were born there. His wife dying early, he remained a widower, which fact gave rise to the mistake of some authors in stating that he was a bachelor. His daughters were Elizabeth, born in 1755, . married to Samuel Maclay, the writer of this journal; Isabella, born January, 1760, married to William Bell, Esq., of Elizabethtown, N. J .; Margaret, married to Isaac Richardson, removed to Wayne County, N. Y., then known as the Gene- see Country. Hester Plunket, the youngest, married Col. Robert Baxter, of the British army, and died about a year after her marriage. Her daughter married Dr. Samuel Maclay, of Mifflin County. John Harris' wife, Elizabeth McClure, said to have been the most lovely woman of her day, died young, from fright and grief, at the report of her husband's death, which however proved untrue. Her daughter, Mary Harris, who inherited much of her mother's beauty, married Wil- liam Maclay, the first United States Senator from Pennsylvania, and brother of Samuel, the surveyor. The latter's wife, and Mrs. William Maclay, were cousins and they married brothers.
William C. Plunket, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, was a nephew of Doctor Plunket. A brother of Doctor Plunket came to this country, bringing with him
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THURSDAY, September 2d .- After Breakfast Mr Cassidy came and informed us that he was unacquainted with the Ground between this and Connemaugh further than the head of the Poplar Run, but he was of the opinion that the Poplar Run Gap was a much Better Gap than the one in which the Road is now made; and in- formed us that if we pleased he would Go with and Likewise pro- cure some other person who knew the country all the way. to go with him and us in order to view the Poplar Gap, and the Ground beyond the head of the Poplar Run as far as the forks of Conne- maugh. He likewise promised to assist us in getting horses to carrey our Baggage down as far as Water Street, and his assistance in Procuring us some fresh Provisions.
FRIDAY, September 3d .- After Breakfast we Rec'd a note from Mr Cassidy that he had the promise of two horses and two sheep for one of which we sent one of our people. Not until 4 oclock this day did we hear anything from our Pack horses. Then they came in. They had mistaken the forks of Conemaugh where they were to wait for us and stopped at the first. instead of going on to the second, and by that mistake have Lost us 2 days. Some time after night our man Returned with a Mutton.
SATURDAY, September 4th .- This morning we sent off a part of our Baggage to Mr Cassidy's by a son of MeCunes who brought us the mutton. Mr Adlum was this morning Imployed in protracting our works from the mouth of Stoney creek. After Breakfast and after I had finished coppying my note(s) I took 2 hands, and Began at the 50 mile Tree above Mr Blairs and sur- veyed the Road to Patrick Cassidys, and from thence to the mouth of Poplar Run, which Bussness was some time Delayed By the Rain, which fell this Day. Mr Adlum finished his work and
a daughter, Margaret, who married Samnel Simmons, of Pine Creek, who resided a few miles west of Jersey Shore. His name was Robert, and he is the man alluded to by Mrs. Blair. The celebrated Dr. Plunket died at Sunbury in the office afterwards owned by Ebenezer Greenough. He was totally blind during the closing years of his life. His will is dated January 3, 1791, and proved May 25, 1791, in which he mentions his granddaughter, Margaret Baxter, one of the most beautiful and accomplished ladies of the State, who died at Milroy, Mitliin County, July 6, 1863. The three sisters, Mrs. Maclay, Mrs. Ball and Mrs. Richardson, survived to a good old age, and resided together in Mifflin County. For the facts in this condensed history of the Plunkets I am indebted to Linn's Annals of Buffalo Valley, pages 271-2.
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Joined us in the afternoon. We Likewise Got a horse from Mr Cassidy and Got another Load of our Baggage brought over this day from our camp at Mr Blair's, but Gersham Hicks with the Re- mainder was still Behind at the Camp.
SUNDAY, September 5th .- We Despatched Seymor with a horse this morning to Mr Blair's to bring forward Hicks and the Re- mainder of our Baggage; and took the necessary measures in order to Explore the Ground up through the Poplar Gap, and thence to the forks of Connemaugh. The man we sent is not yet Returned. In the mean time we had verrey differant accounts of the Ground through the Poplar Gap. Patrick Cassidy told us that he had been at the head of the Poplar run and five miles further towards the forks of Connemaugh ; that so far it was Excelent Ground for a Road; much Better than the road through the other Gap, and in- sinuated that undue means had been exercised or the State Road would have been taken through the Poplar Gap. This Represen- tation was Corohorated by one William Pringle who undertook to show us an Exceeding Good way for a road up through the Poplar Gap. To this a young man, a hunter, of the name of Shirley, Re- plyd that he knew the Poplar Gap well; that he had had a hunt- ing camp on it near the head; that there was no place there that would admit of a Road; that if Pringle could find a Road there, then he Shirley would Give them his head for a foot ball. But he informed us that there might be a Road had to Connemaugh by Beginning at the East end of a Ridge that is south of the Poplar run and keeping that Ridge up to the Blue Knob a mountain so called in those parts, and from thence by keeping the dividing Ridge, but this way was objected to by Cassidy and others as Going quite too far out of the way. Shirley further informed us that Pringle, who was to be our Gide had some time before undertaken to conduct a Company over to Connemaugh & had Lost himself and with Difficulty found the way home. From all these circum- stances, and avet taken together we were Determined to see the Ground and set out with our party and surveyed about 22 miles up the Poplar run through Low swampy Ground Inclined to be stoney.
MONDAY, September 6th .- Continued our survey up the poplar run through stoney swampy Bottoms, much cut into Gulleys by the water for about 2 miles; then took over a hill and struck the run
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again. Found the Ground much the same up to the second forks, where Pringle told us we must take the mountain which we did and found it much too steep to answer for a road. However we continued our survey untill we came in sight of a cove in the hill, I then in order to save time proposed to Leave the compass and walk up to the top of the hill in order to obtain a view of the hills around us as by this time I had abundant Testimony that we could place no Dependance upon the Information of our Gides. When we had Reached the top of the first Rise or Spur of the mountain I planely saw that admitting the Ground to have been good to the Bottom of the hill there was no Possability of making a Road and therefore under these circumstances Gave it as my opinion that to prosecute the Bussness farther would be misspending our time and wasting the Publiek Money : Cassidy still Persisted that there could be a fine Road made there, and Colonel Matlack said he had wished to have Discussed this matter among ourselves, as Commis- sioners and not before any other persons. and concluded with Ex- pressing a Desire of seeing the top of the hill but added that he would not bear an imputation of wasting the publick money. I Replyd that for my own part I had seen sufficient to fix my opin- ion; if he or any other person had not, that an hour or two would be Sufficient for the purpose, that under these considerations I had no objections to going on to the top of the hill.
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